Make your own 10 minute 3-ingredient spaghettata, plus the luckiest giveaway winner, February celebrations, and peek inside my tiny Lake Como kitchen at FoodStack!
Haha! I used to pair Oreos with lite beer to close down a late night in college… yum for the chips!! Thank you, Shell. Finally got the right medicine yesterday and am on the up and up ❤️
Really enjoyed this recipe, Lolly! I was going to cheekily ask if it had to be made at midnight, but you answered that question and now I can't get this image of young and attractive Italians hanging out in their kitchen laughing and drinking wine and making midnight spaghetti. Love it!
Also, great tip that the pasta water has to be salty like the sea. Imma remember that one!
I can’t imagine making pasta at midnight, Lolly, though the recipe sounds delicious and deceptively simple. I love hearing about the way Italians celebrate with such joie de vivre (sorry, I don’t know the equivalent phrase in Italian, though I bet there is one). I might give this pasta a try—earlier in the evening though! 😆 I also really enjoyed the piece about your kitchen. I think I need to get a copy of that Marie Kondo book!
Oh Ruth, I’ve missed you! I’m going over to your place to see what your latest thoughts and posts are. Joie de vivre… probably the Italian equivalent is la dolce vita? I am in bed between 9-10pm if I can. Although when I first moved here, we had many long meals lasting til midnight. Now it’s possible I love my sleep more than food. ;-) Lmk if you check out the Kondo book xx
Thanks, Lolly! I’m sorry I’ve been missing some of your excellent posts. I’m a bit oversubscribed and have fallen woefully behind. Yours are always delightful and make me want to magically teleport to Como or wherever you are—and taste (then make!) whatever you’re eating. Kudos on your blog(s). As I no longer have a bambino at home (sniff), I haven’t subscribed to that one, though I’m certain I’d enjoy reading your adventures with your little guy. As I now have both a cousin and a niece in Italy, I really have no excuse not to visit (again!) and enjoy the cuisine and sights IRL instead of vicariously.
I'm oversubscribed too and that's why I was so happy when your note popped up like a happy little reminder! Thank you for the sweet note. That is a compliment I hold dearly as your writing is among my favorites here on substack. Family in Italy! Where are your cousin and niece living??
Thanks for the kind words, Lolly. My niece recently settled in Turin with her boyfriend and is in the process of buying an apartment. My cousin lives in Milan, but also has a place in Lake Como. She married an Italian many years ago and has been living in Italy for probably 40-plus years.
My son’s fav. He probably eats this 4 times a week he likes to eat the chunks of garlic - those are his favs. We shall promptly rename it to Midnight pasta. Charming post as usual - hope you feel better and enjoy your trip.
Oh Sheryl, this is brilliant! Your son is chock full of garlic and it’s medicinal properties! I was reading about how it can help fight colds and flu. I might go chew on a bulb of it right now… do you love garlic as much as your son? Thank you for your sweet note, Sheryl. x
Simply marvelous! I have never made it at midnight but have eaten it with a Sicilian family when we all ended up unexpectedly at lunch time. Delicious!! Thanks for the reminder. ❤️😎❤️
Yummo. I haven't had just agli'e oglio for ages, although I use the sauce in many dishes, like spaghetti broccoli, spaghetti ca muddica (with breadcrumbs), spaghetti vongole and so on. It's the soffrito of pasta. What a terrific essay. So interesting.
My dad loved aglio e olio, and we would think of him making it on Christmas Eve. It became our oldest’s favorite pasta!
Oh, and “don’t mince the garlic” - Brilliant! Brilliant, I say, because my dad would perfectly brown minced garlic every time. (He chopped everything pretty small; spinach in our house was made with - forgive me, this is no euphemism - perfectly diced, browned potatoes and perfectly minced, browned garlic.) I picked up a lot from the old man, but Not That! LOL I’ve burnt more than I’ve served! Of course, my wife, the real (and not Italian) chef in our house, always slices. Ok, ok. Enough about Me! What do You think of my little anecdotes??? ;^P.
My fave, especially with lots of chopped parsley! This was the first pasta I learned how to make and kept making throughout uni days, often at midnight not realising that’s an actual thing haha! I know it’s not traditional but I always add a bit of Parmigiano at the end…
Oh my gosh delicious!! And Oh to be a young Italian eating spaghetti! I used to eat greasy, cheesy chips after my nights out.
And I hope you are feeling better now!
Haha! I used to pair Oreos with lite beer to close down a late night in college… yum for the chips!! Thank you, Shell. Finally got the right medicine yesterday and am on the up and up ❤️
So pleased you are feeling better
Really enjoyed this recipe, Lolly! I was going to cheekily ask if it had to be made at midnight, but you answered that question and now I can't get this image of young and attractive Italians hanging out in their kitchen laughing and drinking wine and making midnight spaghetti. Love it!
Also, great tip that the pasta water has to be salty like the sea. Imma remember that one!
Totally, Kaila, this pasta is a vibe! Thanks for your note and lmk if you make it…at midnight or not! Xx
I can’t imagine making pasta at midnight, Lolly, though the recipe sounds delicious and deceptively simple. I love hearing about the way Italians celebrate with such joie de vivre (sorry, I don’t know the equivalent phrase in Italian, though I bet there is one). I might give this pasta a try—earlier in the evening though! 😆 I also really enjoyed the piece about your kitchen. I think I need to get a copy of that Marie Kondo book!
Oh Ruth, I’ve missed you! I’m going over to your place to see what your latest thoughts and posts are. Joie de vivre… probably the Italian equivalent is la dolce vita? I am in bed between 9-10pm if I can. Although when I first moved here, we had many long meals lasting til midnight. Now it’s possible I love my sleep more than food. ;-) Lmk if you check out the Kondo book xx
Thanks, Lolly! I’m sorry I’ve been missing some of your excellent posts. I’m a bit oversubscribed and have fallen woefully behind. Yours are always delightful and make me want to magically teleport to Como or wherever you are—and taste (then make!) whatever you’re eating. Kudos on your blog(s). As I no longer have a bambino at home (sniff), I haven’t subscribed to that one, though I’m certain I’d enjoy reading your adventures with your little guy. As I now have both a cousin and a niece in Italy, I really have no excuse not to visit (again!) and enjoy the cuisine and sights IRL instead of vicariously.
I'm oversubscribed too and that's why I was so happy when your note popped up like a happy little reminder! Thank you for the sweet note. That is a compliment I hold dearly as your writing is among my favorites here on substack. Family in Italy! Where are your cousin and niece living??
Thanks for the kind words, Lolly. My niece recently settled in Turin with her boyfriend and is in the process of buying an apartment. My cousin lives in Milan, but also has a place in Lake Como. She married an Italian many years ago and has been living in Italy for probably 40-plus years.
Both so near! Do let me know if you make it up this way and we’ll have a coffee or apertivo for certain!
Definitely! It would be a great pleasure!🤗
My pasta at midnight (back in the days when I was still awake at midnight) was always puttanesca… just like a proper lady 😉
ha! looooove it! but could you sleep after eating a spicy tomato puttanesca??
Sleep wasn’t on the agenda! 😁
of course it wasn't!! What was I thinking!! haha
Love this 👏🏼
Sorry to hear you haven’t been well. I hope you’re feeling much better for your trip ✨ x
Thanks, Jo. You are so sweet to say. I cannot kick this and it’s getting really annoying.
My son’s fav. He probably eats this 4 times a week he likes to eat the chunks of garlic - those are his favs. We shall promptly rename it to Midnight pasta. Charming post as usual - hope you feel better and enjoy your trip.
Oh Sheryl, this is brilliant! Your son is chock full of garlic and it’s medicinal properties! I was reading about how it can help fight colds and flu. I might go chew on a bulb of it right now… do you love garlic as much as your son? Thank you for your sweet note, Sheryl. x
I do love garlic… a tad less ;)
Simply marvelous! I have never made it at midnight but have eaten it with a Sicilian family when we all ended up unexpectedly at lunch time. Delicious!! Thanks for the reminder. ❤️😎❤️
Etta, that sounds even better than at midnight!!
Except that I was feeling guilty that I sort of ended up at their home at midday without advanced planning/invitation! But the food was delicious!
Yummo. I haven't had just agli'e oglio for ages, although I use the sauce in many dishes, like spaghetti broccoli, spaghetti ca muddica (with breadcrumbs), spaghetti vongole and so on. It's the soffrito of pasta. What a terrific essay. So interesting.
Yes! It’s the base of all my favs. Do you put prezzemolo?? I am dying for some spaghetti vongole… how are you feeling? All recovered? X
My dad loved aglio e olio, and we would think of him making it on Christmas Eve. It became our oldest’s favorite pasta!
Oh, and “don’t mince the garlic” - Brilliant! Brilliant, I say, because my dad would perfectly brown minced garlic every time. (He chopped everything pretty small; spinach in our house was made with - forgive me, this is no euphemism - perfectly diced, browned potatoes and perfectly minced, browned garlic.) I picked up a lot from the old man, but Not That! LOL I’ve burnt more than I’ve served! Of course, my wife, the real (and not Italian) chef in our house, always slices. Ok, ok. Enough about Me! What do You think of my little anecdotes??? ;^P.
This is wonderful. Thank you!
Your dad was a garlic wizard!! Love this. What a wonderful memory. Thank you for sharing!!
Also shared your excellent recipe with the kids. :-)
Awww! Do you think they’ll make it? Let me know!
I bought dried whole pepperoncino, and they made it themselves while we were out tonight. Delicious! They’re ironing out tweaks… Thank you so much!
This makes me so happy Mark! Thx so much for following up. What were their needed tweaks?
They want to amp it up a little. Leave the oil and pepperoncino on the heat longer, and use more garlic! They already crushed some of the peperoncino.
I’m pretty sure they will; I’ll keep you posted. Looking now for what appears a reasonable dried pepperoncino I can order here…
https://substack.com/@flavorofitaly/note/c-95548249?r=yjp1l&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
My fave, especially with lots of chopped parsley! This was the first pasta I learned how to make and kept making throughout uni days, often at midnight not realising that’s an actual thing haha! I know it’s not traditional but I always add a bit of Parmigiano at the end…
Oh I love hearing this Monika! You know I never eat it with parsley, but I will try it because you love it this way! x